Summary as passed: (all summaries)
Brown v. Board of Education Scholarship Program and Fund. Creates
the Brown v. Board of Education Scholarship Program and Fund for the
purpose of assisting students who were enrolled in the public schools
of Virginia between 1954 and 1964, in jurisdictions in which such
public schools were closed to avoid desegregation, in obtaining a
high school diploma, the General Education Development certificate,
career or technical education or training, or an undergraduate degree
from a public institution of higher education in Virginia. The bill
also establishes the Brown v. Board of Education Scholarship Awards
Committee, in the legislative branch of state government, to govern
the Program, review applications, and award scholarships to eligible
persons. The Awards Committee consists of legislators and nonlegislative
citizen members appointed by the Joint Rules Committee and the Governor.
Under the provisions of the bill, the State Council of Higher Education
will administer the Program. A special nonreverting fund, the Brown
v. Board of Education Scholarship Program Fund, has been established
as the repository of appropriations, gifts, grants, donations, bequests,
and other funds to support the Program. This meaure also establishes
student eligibility for the scholarships and stipulates that scholarships
may be used only for payment of tuition charges. In addition, the
bill provides that (i) the Program does not establish any legally
enforceable right or entitlement on the part of any person or any
right or entitlement to participation in the program; and (ii) scholarships
must be awarded to the extent funds are made available for the Program
or to the Awards Committee for such purpose.

The second enactment clause provides that educational
terms used in the act shall be construed as defined in Titles 22.1,
23, and 40.1. The third enactment clause provides that the act will
expire on July 1, 2008.

This bill is supported by the Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. Memorial Commission.